Christmas Stock Planning for Gift Shops: A Q4 Guide

Plan Christmas stock by working backwards from the date you want it on the shelf, ordering personalised and custom lines first, and keeping simple in-stock pieces for later top-ups. Choose small, giftable wooden animals for the till, a few hanging pieces for trees and windows, and one or two engravable pieces for personalised gifts. UK trade terms are a £150 first order, free UK delivery over £300 and in-stock dispatch within 3 days.

How should a gift shop plan Christmas stock?

Christmas buying is mostly a timing problem. The pieces that sell are rarely a surprise, so the real risk is ordering too late to have stock on the shelf when shoppers start looking. Start by deciding the date you want the display finished, then work backwards through delivery, any personalisation and your own time to unpack and price.

Split your plan into three groups. The first group is lines that need extra time, such as engraved pieces and any custom design. Order those first. The second is your core range of in-stock pieces, which can be ordered next. The third is a small reserve for top-ups, so you can reorder what sells without having over-bought everything on day one.

Be realistic about quantity. A smaller first order that you can reorder from is safer than a large one you are stuck with in January. Our guide to stocking wooden animal figurines in a UK gift shop explains how to build a first range.

Keep a short list as you plan: what to display first, what to reorder, and what you will stop buying after December. Written plans make it easier to stay calm when a busy week arrives.

Which wooden animals work best as Christmas gifts and stocking fillers?

Small pieces do most of the work at Christmas, because shoppers are looking for something easy to give and easy to wrap. Cats and dogs suit almost every shop. The Tiny Labrador comes in five coat colours and is small enough to tuck into a stocking, and the Faceted Tuxedo Cat is one of our best-loved small cats.

Add a few seasonal and hanging pieces. The Santa and Snowman Figurines and the Santa and Christmas Tree Set are festive shelf pieces, and the Orange Cat Hanging Pendant works on walls, in windows and on Christmas trees. The Red Panda Charm hangs on a genuine leather cord and suits a shopper who wants something to use.

Keep a few larger pieces nearby so the display has a focal point and the small pieces look like part of a collection.

• For the till: Tiny Labrador, Faceted Tuxedo Cat, Red Panda Charm
• For hanging: Orange Cat Hanging Pendant, Football Cat Ornament
• For the shelf: Santa and Snowman, Santa and Christmas Tree, Wooden Crow

How should you display small gifts by the till?

A tidy, small display beats a crowded one. A wooden tray or a low riser by the till is enough, with three to five pieces grouped by theme: a few dogs together, a few cats together, and a single hanging piece on a hook. Group by animal, not by price, so customers can scan quickly for the one that matches their friend or family.

Use a short shelf card. Say that the pieces are hand-carved, hand-painted decorative items, not toys, and display them with giftware, away from the children's area. Our guide to small till-point gifts covers the details, and our guide on whether wooden animal figurines are toys suggests wording for labels.

Rotate the display every week or two in the run-up to Christmas. A different animal at the front gives regular customers a reason to look again.

When should you order personalised and custom lines?

Order them first. Some bases can be laser-engraved with a name, a date or a short message, and trade orders can include engraving for the engravable pieces only. Ask about timing in your enquiry, because we do not publish a timescale for engraving in advance. Agree it in writing before you promise anything to customers.

A custom design takes longer, because it includes a sample. Sampling takes about 15 days and carries a sample fee, and production takes about 30 days from your sample approval. Add your own approval time on top. If you want an exclusive piece for the season, such as a breed figure from a customer's photograph, start the conversation as early as you can. See our custom page for the process.

We do not promise a delivery date for Christmas on this page. Ask us for the timings for your particular order, and plan with some margin.

What are the trade terms for Christmas orders?

UK trade terms are a minimum first order of £150, free UK delivery over £300 and in-stock orders dispatched within 3 days. These terms apply to UK buyers. Trade prices are not published and are sent privately after a trade enquiry.

International shops are welcome. Minimum order, delivery and any import taxes for orders outside the UK are quoted on request, because they depend on the destination. Tell us where you are based when you enquire.

If you are not sure how much to order, tell us what kind of shop you run and the display space you have, and we can suggest a starting mix. You can also read our wholesale page for the standard terms.

How do you avoid over-buying for Christmas?

Start with a core of two or three animals that match your customers, then add depth where you see demand. If you can, hold back a portion of your budget for reorders in the weeks before Christmas, rather than committing everything in one order.

Think about what you can sell after Christmas. Pieces that suit any gift occasion, such as cats, dogs and birds, keep selling in January for birthdays and Valentine's Day. Strictly seasonal pieces, such as Santa figures, are riskier, so buy them in smaller numbers.

Finally, keep notes. Record what sold, when and at what price. Those notes make next year's order faster and more accurate than any guide.

Frequently asked questions